Bartlett Genealogy and Bartlett Family History Information

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Abigail BARTLETT was born on 7 NOV 1695 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts. (SOURCE: Early Vital Records of Essex County, Massachusetts to 1850 for Haverhill.) She has Ancestral File Number FHTK...

Abigail Bartlett was born say 1637. She was the daughter of Robert Bartlett and Anne unknown. On 17 December 1657 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, Abigail married first John Stebbins, s...

About the Bartlett surname

BARTLETT is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name BARTLETT comes from the personal name Bartholomew.

The name first appeared in England from about 1066 and is woven into the richly embroided tapestry which vividly depicts the ancient history of Britain.

Variations of the name Bartlett, Bartlet, Bartlette, Bartolet, Bartholot and many more. Scribes recorded and spelled the name as it sounded. Hence, a person would appear to be born with one spelling, married with another and buried still with another.

BARTLETT emerged as a notable family name in the county of Sussex, at Stopham, where the original Bartolott settled in 1069. In the small church in Stopham the ancient Coat of Arms of the family is hown in a stained glass. By the 16th Century they had branched into Ludbrook House in Devon, Branscombe House in Kent, Gloucester and Sussex. For further research, we would recommend "Our Family Surname" by Rev. R.G. Bartelot. F.S.A. 1944 (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~fordingtondorset/Files/RichardGrosvenorBartelot1868-1947.html). Outstanding amounts the family at this time was Walter Bartolott of Stopham. Also of note was Josiah Bartlett of New Hampshire, signer of the American Declaration of Independence.

The surname BARTLETT contributed much to the affairs of England or Scotland. During the 12th Century many of these Norman families moved north to Scotland in the train of Earl of Hungtingdon, later to become King David of Scotland. In 16th, 17th and18th Centuries england was ravaged by religious and political conflict. The Monarchy, the Church and Parliment fought for supermacy. Restless with the conflicts of Church and State many had visions of a better life.

Many made the arduous journey to the New World. They sailed aboard the fleet of tiny, crowded sailing ships known as the "White Sails".

Among the settlers to North America bearing the family names BARTLETT:

There is a large estate at Stopham, Sussex, England, consisting of some thousands of acres, which has been in possession of the Bartletts for hundreds of years. From junior members of this family in former times, came the first settlers on these American shores. The Ancestral Mansion was built in 1309, and is a noble building of stone. Near it, stands the old Norman Church, built by the family in the Thirteenth century, and on the stone floor, along the aisles of the church, are marble slabs with inset figures of brass, showing a regular succession of Bartletts, from John, who died in 1428, to Colonel George Bartlett, or Barttelot, as the name was spelled in early times, who died in November, 1872, aged 84 years. Here have the Bartletts lived since the time of the Norman invasion. The first of the family was Adam Barttelot, an esquire in the retinue of Brian, a Knight, and they came into England with William, the Conqueror, and fought at Hastings. Both were granted lands. In the Fifteenth century, a castle appears as the crest of the coat of arms which was granted by Edward, the Black Prince, to John Barttelot, for taking the castle of Fontenoy, in France. In the Sixteenth century, a swan was added, and granted, by the Garter King of Arms. Since that time, the crest is double a castle, and swan. The original coat of arms of the family was three open, left-hand, falconer's gloves, with golden tassels about the wrist. The coat of arms now in use is very elaborate, representing different coats of arms of families who have inter-married with the Barttelots. The quarterings of Smith, Musgrave and Boldero, were added in 1875, when Sir Walter B. Barttelot, the present representative of the family, was created a baronet.

The family lineage with the succession from the Norman ancestor to the present time, may be found in Sir Bernard Burke's "Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage," which in England is the authoritative book of titular genealogical reference; almost every public library in this country has a copy amongst its standard works of reference.

The Bartlett family owes it's beginning to King Pepin and Queen Bertha of France. The parents of King Charles I (aka Charlemagne) and his sister Bertha. Now Bertha married Milo, Duke of Aigiant and they are the parents of the Bartlett line. Their son, christened by the name of Berthaelot, a diminutive of Bertha became the favorite of his uncle (Charlemagne) who watched over him. On one occasion, during the Festivale of Pentecost, at the Great Court and Tournament, an important event relating to the Bartlett Coat-of-Arms occured. It seems that a son of the Duke of Aymon, named Raynard, ventured into the chambers of the King demanding a payment in gold for the death of his uncle Bevis. Charlemagne, enraged by the insolence, removed the glove from his left hand and threw it into Raynards face, thus creating a challenge to which Raynard chose to withdraw. Berthelot retrieved the glove from the floor returning it to Charlemagne. Among other things, Berthelot was a master of chess. History says that, Sir Gordon, known as the mischief-maker, coursed Barthelot to challenge Raynard in a game of chess. After playing six games, tempers rose and the meet erupted with words and blows upon which Raynard picked up the heavy gold chess board and brought it down on the head of Berthelot sending him to the floor. Where upon Raynard drew his sword and brought it down splitting Berthelot's head leaving him dead on the ground. Charlemagne hearing of the death of his nephew decreed that the Berthelot family would be recognized by three left-handed gloves with gold tassels to be emblazoned upon it's Coat-of-Arms.

Our story continues many years later in the country around Liseux along the River Tougues in Normany. It is the year 1066 and we find one Adam de Berthelot living there as a minor nobleman. He is the personal esquire of Guido de Brionne, a Norman Knight. Guillaume, Duke of Normany, has decided to carry out an invasion of England. All those owing him their allegiance and others wishing to attend were called to serve. Guido de Brionne was one commanded to assemble with his men and materials. This included Adam de Berthelot. When the Normans landed on the beaches of Pevensey near Hastings in Sussex on September 19, 1066 Adam de Berthelot and Guido de Brionne were among them. About this time we find that Guillaume is changed to William and Guido de Brionne has become de Bryan or Brian. The name Berthelot is being spelled variously as Barttlelot, Bartelot, Barthelot and Bartlett. Thus we now have a brief account of the family prior to arriving in England and how they got there. In Stopham, Sussex, resided an ancient Saxon family by the name of Ford, existing long before the Conquest. As the principle of "To the victors go the spoils," land wrested from Anglo-Saxon owners was granted to officers of the conqueror. Thus a part of the Ford estate was given to Brian, who became Brian de Stopham, and a part to Adam Berthelot. By the four- teenth century the Stopham family was reduced to a daughter who married John Bartlott who then became owner of the whole of the Ford estate.

The Bartlett line went from Adam de Berthelot who was buried in Stopham Church to his son William then to William's son John Esq., to John's son Richard and to Richard's son Thomas. All of whom are buried in Stopham Church. Thomas Esq. married Assoline de Stopham, the daughter of John de Stopham and their son John, married Joan de Stopham, heir and daughter of John de Stopham. Their son John who died in 1453, married Joan de Lewknor, daughter of John de Lewknor. It was their son, Richard, who died in 1482, married to Petronilla~ heir general to Walton. From there we come to their son, John~ who died in 1493, married to Olive Arthur, daughter of John Arthur of London and heiress of Syheston. Their sons: Richard of Stopham died at Tourney, France in 1514, married to Elizabeth Gates, the daughter of John Gates. And , William, born ca. 1469 and died in 1530.

History of the Bartlett Coat-of-Arms

The Barttelots of Stopham fought in many wars for the Crown. The battle of Crecey in 1348, Poictiers in 1356 and Agincourt in 1415 to name a few. After the last mentioned battle, John Barttelot, commander of the Sussex Troops, took the Castle of Fontenoy in France for which Edward, the Black Prince, granted the Castle as a crest of the Barttelot Coat-of-Arms. In the 16th century the Swan Crest was added to commemorate the right to keep Swans upon the River Arun. a right started by William the Conqueror and granted to very few others.

There have been eight families combined thru the years The families make up eight quarterings and were granted by William Segar. Garter King of Arms on Oct. 27. 1616 in the 14th year of King James. These quart- terings being for Barttelot, Stopham, Lewknor, Dovely. Tregor, Cayrnoys, Walton and Syheston. Three more quarterings were added in 1876 for Smith, Musgrave and Boldero. To complete the picture, the family motto being "Mature" meaning "In good time ."